Folding metallic case



Jan. 8, 1952 D. COHEN EI'AL FOLDING METALLIC CASE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed May 14, 1949 INVEN T0125 D4 v10 COHEN ERA/597' StllK/NEI? Jan. 8, 1952 o. COHEN ETAL FOLDING METALLIC CASE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed May 14, 1949 DAV/0 Jrrazus/ Patented Jan. 8, 1952 T OF F I CE FOLDING METALLIC CASE David Cohen and Ernest Schreiner, New York, N. Y.; saidSchreiner assignor to said Cohen Application Mayl4, 1949, Serial No. 93,334

2 Claims. (01. 220-6) Thi invention relates to a 'folding metallic case, more particularly to a case for use in transporting bottles.

Battlers of soft drinks, also bottlers of beer and ale, usually transport the bottled beverage from the plant or bottling establishment to the dealers in wooden cases or boxes each customarily holding 24 bottles. Such cases are rather bulky, heavy, and take up considerable space both in the bottlers warehouse and when held empty by the dealer. Moreover, they are subject to hard usage and must be replaced fairly frequently.

With these defects or the wooden case in mind, it is an object of our invention to provide a metal case for transporting and carrying bottles that is light in weight, sturdy in construction, and that can be folded when not in use so as to occupy a minimum space in storage.

The overall dimensions in width and length of our improved case are substantially less than the corresponding dimension of the ordinary wooden case. This, together with the fact that the cases are of light weight, permits of more cases, each holding the same number of bottles as a wooden case, being transported at one time in a truck or other vehicle of given size and capacity.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved folding case in set-up condition for transporting a plurality of bottles or the like;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional View, on the line 3-3 of Fig. l

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through one corner of the case on the line 4- of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detailed horizontal sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the case in knockdown or unfolded condition; and,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a clip for holding the parts of the case together in knocked down condition for storage.

The case in its preferred form, as illustrated and described herein, is preferably made of aluminum or other suitable lightweight, strong, and durable metal. It comprise a substantially rectang ular bottom iii, two side Walls I ll l, and two end walls l2| 2. The lower edges of the side walls are secured to the bottom by hinges [3 so that they can be turned or folded inwardly to lie flat on the bottom member.

The upper edges of the side Walls may be reinforced with a longitudinal molding or beading M.

The end walls [2 are hinged to the bottom I!) by hinges I5 so that they can be folded outwardly flat, as seen in Fig. 6. Each end wall is provided with a hand opening IS, the edges of which may be suitably reinforced, and with inwardly extending flanges ll at their side edges. The flange I! are formed with longitudinal slots I8 of suitable width to receive the marginal end portions of the side Walls, as seen in Fig. 5, when the several walls are in erect position. These flanges may conveniently be formed by bending extended portions of the end walls as shown in Fig. 5 or they may be made of separate parts suitably joined to the end walls. The upper edges of the end walls may each be formed with a beading l9 reinforced with a metal rod 29.

The plates of hinges l3 and I5 are fastened to their respective parts by rivets 2| or other suitable fasteners. The flanges and the side walls have registering apertures 22 and 23 through which a pin, screw, or the like 24 can be inserted to secure the walls together in their erect position, at the four corners of the case, as in Fig. l.

25 represents a bottle separator plate of suitable size and shape to fit into the case, which plate has openings 25 (usually twenty-four arranged in four rows of six each) for receiving the bottles to be carried in the case. The plate may be formed with downwardly extending rims 21 about its four edges, and it is provided at each end with hooklike element 28. When the case is set-up with its Walls in upright or erect position, the hooks 28 of the separator plate are hooked over the lower edge of the two hand opening l6|6 to hold the plate in position in the case spaced above the bottom l0 thereof.

The case may be provided with one or more spring clips 29, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, in order to prevent misplacement and to keep the case and separator plate together when the case is knocked down for storage.

While we have illustrated and described herein a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that various modifications in the construction may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What we claim is:

1. A folding metallic case for carrying bottles, comprising a bottom member, side walls hinged to the bottom member to fold inwardly thereon, end walls hinged to the bottom member to fold flat outwardly thereof, said end members having 3 hand holes and having inwardly extending flanges at their side edges which flange have longitudinal slots for receiving the marginal edges of the side walls to form the corners of the case when the walls are in erect position, means for securing the walls releasably in such position, and a bottle separator plate disposed in the case, said plate having hook-like element at both ends engaging over the lower edges of the hand holes so as to support the plate spaced above and parallel to the bottom member.

2. A folding metallic case for carrying bottles, comprising a rectangular bottom member, side walls hinged to the side edges of said member to fold inwardly thereon, end walls hinged to the end edges of the bottom member to fold fiat outwardly thereof, said end members having hand holes and having inwardly extending flanges at their side edges which flanges have longitudinal slots for receiving the marginal edges of the side Walls to form the corners of the case when the walls are in erect position, registering openings through the flange and marginal edges of the side Walls, fasteners passing through said openings to secure the walls releasably in their erect position, and a bottle separator plate fitting in the case, said plate having means at its ends engaging over the lower edge of the hand holes so as to support the plate spaced above and substantially parallel to the bottom member.

DAVID COHEN. ERNEST SCHREINER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 771,140 Galer Sept. 27, 1904 1,185,908 Jenkins June 6, 1916 1,186,694 Silverthorn June 13, 1916 1,198,524 Cunlifie Sept. 19, 1916 1,215,278 Hurst Feb. 6, 1917 1,549,116 Hardesty Aug. 11, 1925 1,693,906 Lippincott Dec. 4, 1928 1,809,523 McLean June 9, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 527,342 France July 22, 1921 

